Set out on a week-long bike tour of the Bükk mountains in Hungary and be mesmerized by its breathtaking natural beauty and rich cultural heritage. This tour will take you through picturesque villages, dense forests, ancient vineyards, and soaring mountains.
You'll visit the historic city of Eger, known for its famous wine, taste some of the city's finest vintages and relax in one of the region's thermal baths and spas. We'll conquer the forest paths of the Bükk and ride through the Szalajka valley on a forest train, surrounded by towering trees and sparkling streams. We'll finish our trip in the majestic Lillafüred. This bike tour combines adventure, relaxation, and culture, making it a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Non-cyclist friends and family are welcome.
Price includes: accommodation for 6 nights in guesthouses; meals (6 breakfasts, 7 lunches, 6 dinners); wine tasting; bike rentals and helmets; luggage transportation; entrance fees; English speaking local guide.
Doesn't include: your flight, airport transfer, insurance, personal expenses.
Most convenient is to transfer from Budapest, where you can spend a couple of days before or after the trip. You can transfer on your own, or we can arrange a transfer for you (not included in the price).
Once in Eger, we'll spend the first day exploring the city. We will visit the 16th-century Eger castle, the Turkish minaret and the classicist Basilica. We'll have plenty of riding time in the following days, so it will be mostly walking today.
In the evening, we will walk to the Kovács Nimród Winery to tour their cellar and taste 6 different varieties of Eger wine. Did you know Eger is nicknamed the Hungarian Burgundy?
On this second day, we will head out to the hills east of town. Our first stop will be in Szomolya, known for its rock columns with mysterious niches carved on the sides. Hence why they're called beehive stones.
Next, we will ride to Cserépfalu and Noszvaj. Both villages are known for their cave homes, carved in tuff stone. The most challenging part of the ride is yet to come, with the climb of Vesszős hill, but the descent through the vineyards will more than compensate you for it.
After the last days' exertions, we'll take it easier today. This is a theme for this tour: one easy day will always follow a tough day. Egerszalók is a short 40-minute ride away from Eger. Here we will check out the unique salt mountain, and then we'll have a choice of baths. We can either soak in the relaxing baths here or ride to the cave baths in Demjén for a more intrepid day with slides and all. We'll finish the day in Szépasszonyvölgy, Eger's largest interconnected series of wine cellars.
Perhaps our most demanding day will take us deep into the dense forest of the Bükk. We'll follow the bike path to Felsőtarkány, then turn north to gravel roads. We will exit the forest near Bélapátfalva, just beneath the famous Bél-kő. After a short visit to the remains of the Cistercian abbey, we will reach Szilvásvárad, our pit stop for the next couple of days.
Our non-cyclist friend will transfer by car or minibus.
Another rest day will allow us to ride the narrow-gauge railway through the enchanting Szalajka valley. We'll take in the sight of waterfalls, lakes and magical forests along the way. We will walk back to Szilvásvárad just in time for an evening of barbecue and chill.
Our final riding day takes us back to the woods on winding roads, ending with a giant descent to the valley of the Szinva river. Here we will stop at the ancient blast furnace of Ómassa for a quick intro into the region's mining past, then follow the road into Lillafüred. This fairytale land has a castle, hanging gardens, waterfalls and caves. We'll spend the rest of the day here before descending into Miskolc.
After one last evening together, it's time to part ways. Before getting on the way, you might want to check out the newly restored Diósgyőr castle for a medieval experience or the cave baths at Miskolctapolca. If you need a guide, you know where to look!
